What is induction?
Induction is imparting information to the prospective staff member at various points in the familiarization to work program eg. at interview, at the local workplace and during the QUT General Orientation.
All new staff to QUT usually attend the General Orientation program called "Welcome to QUT", but local induction is providing information which is specific to the local workplace and needs to include all relevant safety information.
Local induction is normally carried out by a nominated staff member who will include information about processes and activities regarding the work area including health and safety matters. The nominated staff member could be a supervisor, Workplace Health and Safety Officer or Workplace Health and Safety Representative or as delegated.
All current staff as well as new staff must be informed about the hazards and the possible risks and know how to avoid or minimise the risks.
Why it must be undertaken?
As well as welcoming the new staff member and providing them with the knowledge to carry out their role in the workplace, induction sets up communication channels and expectations.
nduction is a legislative requirement. The Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995, outlines that a manager has an obligation to protect the health and safety of workers and others by ensuring that they are not exposed to risks to their health and safety arising from their employment and that they have enough information, training and supervision to stay safe.
For example - lifting or carry loads in the workplace can pose a risk because the loads have the potential to cause muscle strain. To minimise the risk to staff the manager/supervisor should provide training as one option of controlling the risk as well as providing mechanical lifting devices to be used during manual handling tasks.
Who must receive induction?
Local induction should be conducted by the relevant nominated staff of a particular workplace:
- to staff who are new to QUT
- staff employed on contract
- casual employees,
- part time and agency staff
- staff from within QUT who have moved to a new position
- staff members who have worked at the workplace for some time and have not had a formal induction
- consider a repeat induction every 3-5 years where the risks warrant
With the introduction of new technology, new work procedures and restructuring, current staff members have a difficult time keeping ahead of the changes
When to conduct induction?
Induction components include; for DAY 1, WEEK 1 and the FIRST MONTH required information can be grouped thus:
- Must know
- Should know
- Could know
Ideally the induction should begin on the first day of the staff member's employment with the health and safety component being completed as soon as possible.
On DAY 1 the new staff member must know the escape routes and the assembly area in case of emergency, they should know where to access first aid and could know the emergency contact extension.
On WEEK 1 the new staff member should know the potential hazards in their work area and how to work safely. They should know where to access information about preventing or minimizing the risks associated with the hazards from the relevant web pages. eg. should know how to set up their workstations safely and know where to find information.
By the FIRST MONTH the new staff member should have received health and safety induction and should have information on all topics on the induction checklist.
What to include in induction?
- Helpful sites to visit
- Consideration should be given to how to communicate and check understanding for staff who do not speak English. Consider graphic material.
- Add to the following Local Health and Safety Induction checklist so that it is specific to your work area.
- Information distributed by end of Day 1, Week 1 and Month 1 in a job. All information should be imparted and understanding checked within three months.
- Casual and part-time positions may be scaled and prioritised proportionately.
- Printable version of Health and Safety Induction checklist